Monday, 22 October 2012

Update: Apple finally approved the free version for iOS, so that's now available for you iDevice people out there :)

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Well the big day has finally arrived - after three months or so hard labour, BattleScribe 1.13.00b is finally here! Adding support for allies has been a big job, requiring changes to how BattleScribe fundamentally works, hence the long development time. On top of that, I've added a much demanded feature from data file authors: shared items. This will make it much easier for the authors to create quality data files, thus benefiting the entire community.

The two highest voted items on UserVoice in one fell swoop :)

This update affects all versions: Desktop, Android and iOS. If you like it, I'd really appreciate a review on the iTunes / Google Play app stores!

Note 1: This update involves a major file format upgrade. This means that the first time you load up BattleScribe it may take quite a while for your existing files to be updated, depending on how much data you have. Please be patient! It only needs to do this once.

Note 2: BattleScribe has become more strict about data file formats - some old files that used to be OK may no longer be valid. If you create files or host repositories I strongly suggest opening all of your files with the new version's editors and fixing any errors that are flagged. Once you're happy recreate your repository with data indexer to make sure it's all in order. This will really help prevent users of your repository from having problems.

Note 3: If you experience strange behaviour, it could be because of data problems mentioned in note 2 above. The first thing to try would be to delete all your data files (on mobile, the menu in the Manage Data screen allows you to do this) and re-download them from your repositories.

Here's the full list of changes:

All Versions

Added allies support (a roster can be created with multiple catalogue / game type combinations)

Added ability to create "shared" entries, entry groups, rules and profiles in catalogues, and then reference / link to them throughout the catalogue without repeating yourself. This should make life a lot easier for data file authors

Improved modifiers / conditions, supporting the shared items

iOS (iPhone / iPod / iPad)

Added shiny new retina graphics and icons

Long-clicking selections now allows you to duplicate, remove or individually view the selection

Added extra options in the Manage Data screen to allow you to share your repository URLs or delete all data files (in case of problems)

Rules/profiles now properly shown when viewing the roster

Fixed crash when clicking on the row of a "single selection" (rather than the button on the right)

Saturday, 13 October 2012

Just a heads up for those of you out there who create or host data files.

I've now submitted BattleScribe 1.13.00b to Apple. Once it's approved, I'll be wrapping up the releases for Android and the desktop, and releasing the whole lot together - hopefully in about a week or so.

I've come across a problem with some of the data files out there (eg Space Marines and Necrons from one of the most popular data file hosts), where some entries in a catalogue have duplicate unique ids. The new version is stricter about how these are used, and this kind of setup will no longer work.

To prevent crashes, Roster Editor will remove all entries with duplicate ids from the catalogue on load. This means the user will not be able to select these items for their rosters. In addition, if the user opens an existing roster that uses any of these entries, the relevant selections will be removed from their roster.

If you open the catalogue in Catalogue Editor however, the offending entries will be left in place and flagged as an error so you can find them and fix them. I have released a preview version of 1.13.00b on the forum which I strongly recommend data file authors download and use to check all their data files to make sure they don't have this problem.

Remember that if you open a pre-1.13.00b file it will be converted to the new format which is not compatible with older versions of BattleScribe. It's probably best to make a copy of all your data files before checking them, thus keeping your 1.12.00b format files intact. You can then be ready with a nice shiny set of 1.13.00b data files ready for when it's released.

If you have any problems or questions, feel free to drop me a line on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or email (jon [dot] taylor [at] battlescribe [dot] net).

Wednesday, 3 October 2012

I'm not much of a Facebook user personally, but I hear it's quite a popular site ;)

So for those of you who are primarily Facebookers, I've finally bitten the bullet and created a page for BattleScribe.

I'll be posting development progress updates, upcoming features and soliciting feedback on ideas in a generally more detailed and regular way than on the news blog. It's also another avenue for you the user to get in contact to ask questions, offer suggestions etc.

I will still be using Google+ for my primary social media page, with posts there being re-posted to the Facebook page (in full where possible) and Twitter (as a link). I'll keep an eye on the Facebook page and obviously will be participating in any discussion over there.

So, if you're a fan of BattleScribe and want to stay connected, Facebook is now another option for you alongside Google+ and Twitter - whichever is your personal preference :)